25 Popular Indian Curries to Try

These spicy and aromatic Indian curries will warm you up on a rainy or wintery night. 

There’s no need for a thick blanket or a cozy jacket where these curries are involved! One bowl is more than enough to make you feel all warm and tingly inside.

And if you think there’s only one kind of Indian curry, you’re mistaken. There’s a wide variety of this delectable stew, and they’re all a must-try.

Whether you’re like your curry dry or saucy, flavored with coconut milk and or pureed peppers, this collection has it all. 

So, if you’re getting a little bored with your usual American soups and stews, it’s time to expand your culinary horizons and give these Indian classics a try.

1. Butter Chicken

Murgh makhani (butter chicken) is one of my most often ordered Indian dishes for one simple reason: it’s to die for.

How anyone can resist tender chicken soaked in a buttery yogurt marinade and coated in curry, I’ll never understand. This is Indian curry, for the win!

Before coming across this recipe, I had no idea butter chicken was easy enough to make at home. It turns out, all it takes is 35 minutes.

2. Kashmiri Chaman Kaliya/Paneer in Spicy Milk Gravy

This is a vegetarian dish of cottage cheese cubes bathed in delectable spiced gravy.

The gravy is thickened milk infused with saffron and gravy, which makes it so palatable even on its own.

The key to getting this curry wickedly tasty is to saute the spices beforehand. This will enhance their flavors significantly, giving the paneer an even deeper taste.

3. Rabodi Ki Sabzi 

Don’t let this difficult-to-pronounce dish deter you from giving it a try. 

This Indian curry combines buttermilk and rabodi, which is a dried corn Indian wafer.

The rabodi is soaked in water and cooked into curd with Indian spices.

This dish comes together in just 20 minutes and goes perfectly well with rice and roti.

4. Malvani Fish Curry Recipe

This fish curry is rather on the hot side, so only try it if you can handle the heat.

What gives this curry its fiery heat is Malvani masala, a wonderful blend of spices from the Indian region of the same name.

It’s combined with grated coconut and lots of red chilies for more flavor and spice.

5. Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

Tikka Masala is another Indian classic that’s surprisingly a cinch to make.

And trust me, this chicken tikka masala is better than Indian take-out!

The curry sauce is outrageously creamy and seasoned beautifully with aromatic spices.

The chicken absorbs all the goodness of the sauce and spices, making it so ridiculously packed with flavor.

6. Traditional Kerala Style Fish Molly, Meen Molee, Meen Moilee

Kerala, or fish molly, is a staple in Kerala, India. It’s a fish stew with a creamy coconut milk broth infused with Indian spices.

To make this traditional stew extra flavorful, ginger and curry leaves are fried in coconut oil.

This simple step remarkably enhances the flavors of the spices, such that the stew tastes like it took hours to make when it actually only calls for 30 minutes.

7. Konkan-Style Modachya Moongachi Amti Recipe – Sprouted Moong Bean Curry

Modachya Moongachi Amti – the name may be intimidating, but the flavors are definitely enticing.

It’s a phenomenal soup packed with sprouted mung beans and a bright curry sauce.

Kokum, or desiccated coconut, is added to the broth, giving it a unique balance of spiciness and tanginess. If you’re not a fan of strongly-flavored curries, this one’s for you.

8. Pork Vindaloo

Fatty pork cubes are marinated in vindaloo paste and cooked in a rich curry sauce.

Vindaloo is a classic curry from western India. It’s at the hotter end of the scale, so you’ll want to use the paste with caution.

If you stick to this recipe, you’ll get vindaloo with the utmost balance of flavors. It’s still fiery, but not so much that it’ll burn your tongue.

9. Aubergine Curry – Eggplant Curry

I strongly believe that Indian cuisine is a culinary gift for vegetarians. Nothing makes vegetables more irresistible than curry!

You don’t have to believe me. I’ll just let this aubergine curry prove my point.

With its outrageously creamy and perfectly flavored curry sauce, eggplant has been this addictive. 

10. Keralan Pandi – South Indian Coconut-Pork Curry

Keralan pandi will warm your heart and soothe your soul. It’ll also make your tastebuds very happy.

If you’re a meat lover, this is definitely a must-try. This curry is loaded with strips of succulent pork steak in a sauce of coconut milk, curry, turmeric, and other Indian spices.

It’s a very rich dish, but the addition of string beans balances it out well.

11. Masala Wali Turai Ki Sabzi Recipe – Ridge Gourd Masala Curry

Have a bunch of ridge gourd almost rotting in the fridge and don’t know what to do with them? I’ve got just the recipe for you.

While it’s typically used as a supporting ingredient in vegetable-based dishes, gourd is featured in all its delicious glory in this one.

The gourd, or turai, is cooked in a rich curry and tomato gravy, which makes it unrecognizably delish. 

12. Jackfruit Seeds Curry 

If you’re a vegetarian, you know exactly how awesome jackfruit meat is at imitating actual meat, but have you ever tried using the seeds?

In Kerala, India, jackfruit seeds are very commonly used in their cooking. The seeds are dried, preserved, and later used in curries.

On their own, dried jackfruit seeds have a mild, earthy flavor. Just as in this recipe, they’re cooked with shrimp, coconut paste, and curry to amp up their taste.

13. Shimla Mirch Aloo ki Sabzi – Capsicum and Potato Curry

Bell peppers and potatoes combine to make shimla mirch aloo ki sabzi – a fantastic vegetable curry stir-fry.

The vegetables are cooked in an array of Indian spices like cumin, coriander, and mango powder.

Crushed nuts are added to give it a thicker, more flavorful sauce.

14. Chettinad Chicken Recipe

Chicken curry from Chettinad, India is unique in that it uses Indian shallots, gundu chillies (dry red chillies), and kalpasi or stone flowers.

If you happen to find these ingredients in your local Indian store, you should definitely give this recipe a try.

If you can’t find gundu, though, that’s alright! You can still use regular red chillies, and the curry will still be delish.

15. Smoked Pork Curry

If regular pork curry is already a masterpiece, what makes this dish even better?

Using smoked pork gives this dish that extra oomph. Together with potatoes and a wonderfully thick curry sauce, this Indian classic is perfect with rice, roti, or naan.

16. Instant Pot Indian Egg Curry

This dish is super simple yet packed with tons of flavor. It’s just hard-boiled eggs in curry, but it’s so surprisingly good, you’ll want to lick the bowl.

Serve this curry with naan bread or Jasmine rice for the full Indian experience!

17. Mangalorean Style Ambe Upkari Recipe – Ripe Mango Curry 

If you like your curry with a subtle sweetness, the ambe upkari is for you.

Made with ripe mangoes, jaggery (Indian cane sugar), and green chillis, this curry is wonderfully balanced with sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors.

18. Chingri Malai Curry – Bengali Coconut Shrimp Curry – Keto

Shrimp, coconut, and curry work together in harmony to give you a scrumptious yet keto-friendly dish!

The combination of sweet shrimp and the creamy spiced curry creates such orgasmic flavors and textures. Try it once, and you’ll crave it again and again. 

19. Lamb Pasanda

Lamb pasanda is a mouthwatering dish popular not just in India, but in Pakistani and Hyderabadi cuisines, as well.

It’s tender lamb meat cooked in a marinade of Indian spices and yogurt or coconut milk.

Sultanas and almonds are tossed into the pasanda for added textures.

20. Easy Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken jalfrezi is a tomato-based curry brimming with chicken, onions, and peppers.

The dish is cooked with cumin, coriander, garam masala, and loads more Indian spices to give both the sauce and chicken maximum flavor.

It has such a deep flavor it’ll seem like you worked hard on it, but you’ll hardly work on it at all! This dish is done in just 30 minutes.

21. Easy Chicken Korma

Chicken korma is a mild curry with a ridiculously creamy and milky sauce. It’s ideal for kids and adults who can’t tolerate spicy food.

While it also contains curry and other Indian spices, the primary flavor you’ll taste in the sauce is a blend of coconut milk and crushed almonds. Yum!

22. Indian Restaurant  Dhansak Curry

Dhansak curry is a Farsi-inspired Indian dish that packs big flavors.

Its rich and thick sauce is made of cooked lentils that have softened to the point of disintegration. Tamarind sauce gives it a unique sweet and tart flavor.

Either chicken, lamb, or beef all work well with this curry. The choice is yours.

23.  Easy Mushroom Curry

This is a hearty vegetarian curry even meat lovers will surely enjoy.

The key to making any vegetarian dish super meaty is to load it with a medley of mushrooms! You can go for any kind of mushrooms here – the more varieties, the better.

Because there’s no meat or vegetables involved, this curry comes together in just 15 minutes. It’s an excellent addition to any meal. 

24. Aloo Gobi – Potatoes & Cauliflower

Aloo gobi is yet another vegetarian dish that’s both outrageously toothsome and wholesome.

Instead of beef or chicken, this dish is loaded with starchy potatoes and crunchy cauliflower florets flavored with aromatic Indian spices like garam masala, cumin, and mango powder.

25. Easy Yellow Split Pea and Spinach Dhal (Vegan)

This yellow split pea and spinach dahl is a bright and tasty meat-free curry that goes wonderfully well with brown rice.

Just because you’re vegan or on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t have a hearty and satisfying meal!